


O true apothecary

by YellowMagicalGirl



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Horror, But only as much as is canonically implied, F/M, Gen, Romeo and Juliet References, Suicidal Thoughts, Transformation, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, for the greater good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26955511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellowMagicalGirl/pseuds/YellowMagicalGirl
Summary: Instead of submerging himself in the elixir, Jim needs to drink it.
Relationships: Jim Lake Jr./Claire Nuñez
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	O true apothecary

“I trust that you’ll make the right choice,” Merlin says. “It will be best if you wear your armor if and when you drink it.” He then leaves Jim alone with the elixir.

Jim doesn’t want to drink it, but what choice does he have? He has lost too many already. He couldn’t protect AAARRRGGHH!!!, Draal, or Vendel, and the latter two have been shattered so they can’t come back to life. He couldn’t protect the countless Trollmarket citizens who had been turned into mindless Gumm-Gumm soldiers.

And so Jim takes the potion with him to his room and locks the door. His mom and friends won’t understand. They’ll think he’s throwing away his life. And maybe he is, but he doesn’t want to live in a world without them, and surely he will be doomed to a world without them if he keeps more than half of his humanity.

His phone rings, once, then twice. Jim sets down the elixir and picks up. “How’s my mom?”

“She’s safe, Strickler’s mostly safe but injured his arm, but Jim? Morgana’s been released.” He can hear the terror in her voice.

As a human, Jim couldn’t protect his girlfriend from losing her body and soul. He needs to be able to protect her from Morgana. Her, and _everyone,_ but in this moment the idea of Claire ever being hurt by Morgana again is too much to bear.

He hangs up and sets his phone down. He then picks up the elixir.

“Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide,” he recites to his empty room. “Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on the dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark.”

_Here’s to Draal._

_Here’s to Vendel._

_Here’s to his mom._

_Here’s to every person who depended on him who he couldn’t save._

_Here’s to Claire._

“Daylight is mine to command.” Jim drinks the elixir. He drops it, coughing.

“Thy drugs are quick,” he wheezes. His vision is going blurry. His hands ache, and he feels like daggers are crawling across his spin. He falls to his knees, spitting out blood. Right before he passes out from the agony, he feels pain shoot out from two points in his skull.


End file.
